New details emerge in juveniles' detention center escape

Four young men, including one from Cleveland County, overpowered a guard to escape from a nearby juvenile detention center about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Lauren Baheri and Kevin Ellis

Updated 5:50 p.m.

Before a group of teenagers escaped from a nearby juvenile detention center this week, one of them used a set of handcuffs to beat an officer, according to arrest warrants filed in the case.

One guard’s nose was broken.

One of the members of the group – that included a teen from Cleveland County – yanked a telephone cord to keep officers from alerting others about the attack, warrants state.

Meager descriptions of escapees

But during the short-lived escape from the Gaston County Juvenile Detention Center, which had the young inmates on the lam for fewer than three hours, police offered few details about the runaways.

The boys, 13, 15, 16 and 17, were from Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln and Rowan counties.

Authorities said they could not release photos of the escapees because of their ages.

Police could only give a description of their races and clothing.

Arrest warrants have since identified the 17-year-old as Javees Alexander Camp of 223 Barwick Road, Gastonia.

He faces charges of second-degree kidnapping, larceny, conspiracy, resisting a public officer, assault with a deadly weapon on a government official and assault on a government employee in the escape.

Camp was booked into Gaston County Jail on a $100,000 bond on the new charges.

Public safety vs. juvenile rights

Capt. Bill Melton with Gaston County Police said he’s never experienced an instance when the public’s safety would justify making a juvenile’s information public knowledge.

According to North Carolina state law, anyone from 16 to 17 years old is considered a juvenile but can be charged as an adult, meaning that information becomes public knowledge.

“North Carolina is unique in that we can incarcerate 16 and 17 year olds for traffic citations,” Melton said.

Offenders younger than 16 are juveniles under the law and their records are sealed. Those records can only be seen by the juvenile, parents or guardians and officers of the court.

Melton said the distinction lies in the court to which juveniles are assigned. If they are sent to juvenile court, the main objective is rehabilitation as opposed to punishment in adult court.

“Juvenile court is set to rehabilitate and essentially correct the behavior of the child,” Melton said. “It is not geared for (only) punishment.”

Inside the escape

Officer Aaron Hamrick was conducting a normal “walk through” the juvenile detention center when he was struck in the back of the head several times with metal handcuffs, according to arrest warrants.

The inmates then held detention officer Coleman Sarvis and threw a chair at him to keep him from reacting.

When detention officer Tolands Johnson attempted to call 911, one of the four inmates pulled the phone cord and disabled it, according to arrest warrants filed in the case.

The boys also attempted to handcuff Hamrick, warrants state.

It was still unclear Wednesday how the four came into possession of the metal handcuffs.

Each of the inmates had felony charges, although officials would not specify whether they were charged with violent crimes.

The escape took place about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and three of the four were back in custody by 8 p.m. The fourth was found about 9 p.m.

K-9 units assisted in tracking down the youthful offenders in a wooded area behind the juvenile detention center.

Updated 11:30 a.m. Wednesday

New details emerged overnight on how four young men, including one from Cleveland County, overpowered guards at a nearby detention center in their escape.

According to arrest warrants filed in the case, here’s what happened at the Gaston County Detention Center:

Officer Aaron Hamrick was conducting a normal "walk through" the facility when he was struck in the back of the head several times with metal handcuffs. The inmates then held detention officer Coleman Sarvis and threw a chair at him to keep him from reacting. When detention officer Tolands Johnson attempted to call 911, one of the four inmates pulled the phone cord and disabled it.

The four also attempted to handcuff Hamrick. It's not known how the four came into possession of the metal handcuffs.

The escape took place about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and three of the four were back in custody by 8 p.m. The fourth was found about 9 p.m.

One guard’s nose was broken in the escape and one had a gash to the back of the head, The Star’s news partner WSOC-TV reported.

The inmates were from Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln and Rowan counties. Their ages: 13, 15, 16 and 17.

According to police, the inmates took an officer’s keys to make their getaway from the detention center on Camp Sertoma Road by the Dallas-Cherryville Highway.

The guard was taken to CaroMont Regional Medical Center but did not have life-threatening injuries, according to police.

The escapees also got past another male guard at the front door, said Capt. Suzanne Mauney-Smith of the Gaston County Police Department.

Each of the inmates had felony charges, although officials would not specify whether they were charged with violent crimes.

WSOC reported that two of the four faced cocaine charges.

K-9 units assisted in finding the youthful offenders in a wooded area behind the juvenile detention center.

Arrest warrants identify the 17-year-old as Javees Alexander Camp of 223 Barwick Road, Gastonia. He faces charges of second-degree kidnapping, larceny, conspiracy, resisting a public officer, assault with a deadly weapon on a government offical and assault on a government employee in the escape.

He was booked into Gaston County Jail on a $100,000 bond on the new charges.

Gastonia City Police, Gaston County Police, Gaston County Sheriff's department and North Carolina State Highway Patrol all responded to the escape Tuesday night.

Tuesday

Four young men, including one from Cleveland County, overpowered a guard to escape from a nearby juvenile detention center about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

It was a short-lived taste of freedom. Three were back in custody by 8 p.m. Authorities found the fourth before 9 p.m.

One guard’s nose was broken in the escape and one had a gash to the back of the head, The Star’s news partner WSOC-TV reported.

According to police, three inmates took a female guard’s keys to make their getaway from the Gaston County Juvenile Detention Center on Camp Sertoma Road by the Dallas-Cherryville Highway.

The guard was taken to CaroMont Regional Medical Center but did not have life-threatening injuries, according to police.

The escapees also got past another male guard at the front door, said Capt. Suzanne Mauney-Smith of the Gaston County Police Department.

Each of the inmates had felony charges, although officials would not specify whether they were charged with violent crimes.

WSOC-TV reported that two of the four faced cocaine charges.

K-9 units were on scene patrolling the wooded area behind the juvenile detention center in an effort to locate the boys.

The inmates were from Gaston, Cleveland, Lincoln and Rowan counties. Their ages: 13, 15, 16 and 17.

Officials would not provide names or other details about the boys because all are juveniles.

Gastonia City Police, Gaston County Police and Gaston County Sheriff's department all responded to the escape Tuesday night.

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